Warri Youths Tear Shirts Bearing Tinubu's Image at Independence Day Run
A proposed 5km Independence Day Run in Warri, Delta State, descended into chaos on Thursday after youths discovered that the polos being handed out by organisers bore an image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Videos circulating on social media showed a crowd at PTI Junction, the venue of the event, with some young people tearing the distributed "Soft Nigeria" branded shirts and voicing frustration over what they saw as the introduction of a political message into the run.
Accounts that accompanied the videos indicated that the youths had shown up for what was advertised as a 5km Independence Day Run, only to be taken aback when organisers started distributing polos with Tinubu's image hidden within the design.
The turn of events angered some participants, who accused the organisers of misleading them regarding the true nature of the event.
In one video, youths could be heard rejecting the shirts, repeatedly saying, "We no go wear," as some participants removed and tore the polos.
Other footage captured members of the crowd chanting, "Obi! Obi! Obi!" in an apparent reference to Peter Obi, the Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Some of the youths also threatened to boycott the run after the discovery.
The videos further showed some participants setting fire to the torn clothing, though the circumstances surrounding the burning could not be independently verified from the footage.
The incident has sparked reactions on social media, with some users alleging that the proposed Independence Day Run was being used to promote the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu.
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